A Tribute

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is yet another day to remember the brave American soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the USA, their homeland and its citizens. The three-day weekend is a solemn occasion to commemorate their bravery.

Honoring The Dead Of Unknown
As Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said in his Memorial Day address in 1884 at Keene, Memorial Day 'celebrates and solemnly reaffirms from year to year a national act of enthusiasm and faith.' With changing times, Memorial Day is more celebrated as a holiday than the glum occasion it was meant for. We must remember that the day means to honor of America's defense personnel who lost their lives in various wars. Though, people used to honor the graves of the war dead even before the Civil War, the National Memorial Day holiday, originally known as 'Decoration Day' was first observed on May 30, 1868.The concept originated in the mind of General John Alexander Logan, who dedicated this day to decorate the graves of the American Civil War dead. Later, it encompassed all those who sacrificed their lives for their nation, from the Revolutionary War to the present. May 30th every year was celebrated as the Memorial Day until 1971. Later, the federal government issued the orders of holding the Memorial Day on the last Monday of May. Alabama celebrates Confederate Memorial Day on the fourth Monday in April while the states of Mississippi and Georgia celebrate it on the last Monday of April. Seeing the Memorial Day losing its importance in the minds of younger generations, the concept of the National Moment of Remembrance was hatched by a national humanitarian organizations known as the 'No Greater Love, based in Washington, D.C. It was introduced in 1997 and is recognized by the President and Members of Congress. Since then, 'Taps' is at 3 p.m. throughout America to honor the contributions of our dead soldiers. All Americans are encouraged to pay respect to them by keeping silent for one minute in their memory at 3:00 p.m.

Freedom Is Not Free
By- Kelly Strong
I watched the flag pass by one day. It fluttered in the breeze. A young Marine saluted it, and then he stood at ease. I looked at him in uniform So young, so tall, so proud, He'd stand out in any crowd. I thought how many men like him Had fallen through the years. How many died on foreign soil?How many mothers' tears? How many pilots' planes shot down? How many died at sea? How many foxholes were soldiers' graves? No, freedom isn't free. I heard the sound of TAPS one night, When everything was stillI listened to the bugler play. And felt a sudden chill. I wondered just how many times That TAPS had meant "Amen," When a flag had draped a coffin Of a brother or a friend. I thought of all the children, Of the mothers and the wives, Of fathers, sons and husbands. With interrupted lives. I thought about a graveyard. At the bottom of the sea. Of unmarked graves in Arlington. No, freedom isn't free.

For a more in depth tribute visit www.thememorialdaytribute.com

Prayer: Father God, thank you for all the men and women that have sacrificed their lives for my freedom. PLEASE Lord help me to NOT take it for granted, help me to live this life of freedom to the fullest!